For Only to Know the Many Names of Red
by cherryjamontoast
Summary: The Jedi Concil sends Obi-Wan, Anakin & Ahsoka to charter an alliance with the purposely nuteral Lord Dirian on the moon of Xenphos. But when things go awry, Ahsoka must solve Dirian's labrynth or forefit her master, Obiwan, the alliance & her sanity.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned star wars but I don't and I guess I'll have to live with that.**

Rex heaved a sigh and shook his head in disagreement. And upon seeing his reaction, the young padawan's large blue eyes silently begged him not to say what she knew he was going to say anyways. "It's red." He announced, instantly noticing how Ahsoka's shoulders slumped in disappointment as her master, in tandem, gave a frustrated sigh and left his post by the threshold to pace the length of the star cruiser's common room.

Anakin had deemed it time for Ahsoka to lean and hone the skills of the Jedi mind trick early that morning and had asked Rex to help him in his lesson. It was not as if Rex could refuse the general even if he knew what he was to be in for. And that was an entire afternoon of the young Togruta attempting to convince the clone that a certain red chair in the room was, in fact, blue. The captain was quite surprised how long it was taking Ahsoka to catch the concept of the Jedi mind trick for she was adept with a lightsaber, a good hand in the cockpit and could use the force to move all sorts of objects. Master and padawan were also surprised at her difficulty and, being practically identical in temperament, were beginning to show their frustration.

"When we land, that chair is going straight into the first scrap heap I can find!" Ahsoka announced, her hand cupping her forehead as she muttered in her own language.

"A Jedi has no need for hate, my young padawan, especially to a chair." Anakin responded with his back to Ahsoka and Rex. His hands were clasped behind his back as he made his pilgrimage across the length of the room. Although such a comment was an odd form of endearment for the general to utter to his apprentice, it could not hide Anakin's growing impatience. Abruptly he turned on his heel to pace the length of the room again. He heaved a frustrated sigh before instructing, "Try it again, Snips."

Ahsoka closed her eyes obediently in concentration, pushing can'ts and nevers out of her mind. She would not get results if negative thoughts took over her mind. Rex shifted his weight, noting how the atmosphere of the room was as tense as it would have been in the heat of battle. The clone had half a mind to give into the Togruta and announce that the chair was blue-even if it was red. But of course there was no use to lie to Jedi. Ahsoka turned her gaze to Rex, ready to begin again as Obi-Wan casually joined General Skywalker at the threshold.

"Anakin, I hope the lesson is going well." Obi-Wan greeted in his easy manner and received a flat look from his former student that told him silently that no, it wasn't going well in the slightest. Obi-Wan's brow knitted in troubled thoughts and the serene look he had before grew clouded. He turned his back to Ahsoka and Rex, not wanting to let any nay-saying hurt performance. When he spoke to Anakin, his voice held hushed and quiet tones. "She will not be ready to accompany us on the mission?" He stated more than questioned, earning and uncomfortable shift in weight from Anakin as a response.

From inside the room, Rex's firm reply of 'It's red.' Sounded, giving Obi-Wan his answer.

Anakin shook his head and replied replicating his old master's quiet tone. "We've been at it for hours, Master. I'm sure the Council would feel better sending three to the Xenphos."

"Sending one who is not versed in Jedi mind tricks to help negotiate with an Anzat?" the older Jedi responded with a flat 'have you lost your mind' tone.

Anakin opened his mouth to rebuttal but was cut off by Ahsoka's rather loud conversation with Rex. "How do know that the chair is red, Rex?" she questioned, one hand on her hip, the other gesturing to the chair and her face set in a determined frown. She was going to get him to admit it was blue one way or the other. "What makes it red?"

The soldier drew himself to his full height and answered bluntly, "It is red because I say it is."

At his response white markings above her eyes rose in surprise at the captain's forwardness. "Oh," she began animatedly, "But perhaps I come in and say the chair is blue because I say it is. And Skyguy says that it's green but Master Kenobi insists that the chair is…." She paused, wracking her brain for another color while throwing her hands out for effect. "…I don't know…chartreuse! Who, then, is right?"

"I am."

"Ah," she rebuttaled, raising her finger, oblivious to her master's frustrated sigh and set jaw as well as Obi-Wan's amused smirk. "But can you_ really_ give a definition for the color red?" She pressed, "Perhaps we all see the same color but call it by a different name be it red or blue or-"

"Snips!" Anakin cut in sharply with his hand to his forehead in a vain attempt to keep his growing headache at bay. His interjection made the girl turn to face him and Anakin received a thankful nod from Rex. "This is not a lesson on philosophy."

"You told me to convince Rex that the chair isn't red!" The student accused, taking his instructions to the literal sense to make her outburst sound constructive.

The master's blue eyes regarded his apprentice with a flat, chiding glance. "I was quite clear to say convince him with the Force. Or does your contempt for red furniture cloud your hearing, my padawan?"

Ahsoka pursed her lips and crossed her arms in response. She was, after all, just as-if not more- frustrated as he. She opened her mouth to give a reply but Obi-Wan cut her off, striding swiftly to stand between the two. Ever the peacemaker between the two when he was assigned missions with them, the older Jedi spoke from the experience of teaching a padawan with the same contempt for Jedi mind tricks as Ahsoka. "Perhaps you would work better after a fifteen minute break?"

"Master, there is no _time_ for any length of break." Skywalker interjected in a pointed tone. "We land on Xenphos in less than fourteen hours and she has so much more to learn by then."

"Perhaps you should not have put off this lesson for so long?" Obi-Wan reminded with a wry grin.

"Why exactly _do_ I have to master Jedi mind tricks by the rendezvous, anyway? We're just going to Xenphos to negotiate with this 'Lord' Dirian-guy to shift from a neutral body to the Republic's ally so we can set up another base closer to the action." Ahsoka piped up sounding genuinely confused as to her Master's urgency. "Just like we did with Jabba on Tatoine, minus a kidnapped huttlet."

"You didn't give her all the details, Anakin? Really?" General Kenobi asked in disbelief, turning to face his old padawan. From behind the older Jedi's back Rex gave a long, silent whistle. Things were getting a little too complicated for "a quick simple lesson on mind tricks". After Anakin tiredly assured Obi-Wan that he had his reasons, the older Jedi turned to Ahsoka and began to explain.

"I'm afraid it's a little more complicated, Ahsoka." He began diplomatically, "You see this Dirian fellow is not quite as harmless as you expect. He's an Anzat- a quite older one and decidedly quite insane as is typical for older Anzati…"

As he explained, Ahsoka nodded in understanding, flopping in the chair that she swore to scrap, her knuckles against her lips as she thought. She had once read about the 'Snot Vampires', as they were called, when she had nothing better to do than browse through the archives. They were a long living race that fed off of other's brains. She recalled with a shiver how some could even prey on Jedi, using their telepathy to turn the Jedis' mind tricks on them.

Anyone who was not versed enough to know if the tricks were being turned against her could be easily deceived by the Anzati to do goodness knew what. She nodded to herself in realization that that was why the council did not want the clone units to get involved unless Dirian had refused the Republic and sided with the Sepratists. "I would be a liability if I do not get this lesson." She summed in realization.

"Which is why you have to get a decent grip on this, Ahsoka." Anakin piped up gravely, "The Council feels that the more we have in numbers during the negotiation, the safer we'll be. After the disappearance of Master Ilen and his padawan about a year or so ago on Xenphos, the Council doesn't want to take any chances. Especially with an alliance with Dirian is up in the air."

Obi-Wan nodded and with a brisk manner clapped his hands before concluding, "So, we'll break for fifteen minutes and when we resume, I'll give you a demonstration. I'm sure with Anakin and myself both on your case; you'll develop a good feel for it." Ahsoka's mouth formed a frustrated straight line that mirrored her Master's. It was clear that both master and padawan held a healthy dislike for the mind trick, much to General Kenobi's quiet amusement. Reassuringly, the older Jedi placed his hand on the padawan's shoulder before saying with a hint of a grin, "No pressure."

**A/n: Here is chapter 1! I hope I got the knitty gritty details correct. I have to say I am pleased with this. I adore the master-padawan relationship between Anakin and Ahoka and found it amusing to write a scene where he actively instructs. Any way, please review and tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'd like to quickly thank my reviewers! Thanks for the support and encouragement!! On with the fic.**

Obi-Wan paused in his tired pacing, stopping right behind the padawan-learner. "Clear your mind from all other thoughts." He instructed into the Togruta's ear. After several hours of harping technique and repetition, his old padawan's apprentice had had sporadic success with the mind trick. Out of twenty-five tries to convince Rex the chair was blue, Ahsoka would succeed once and half succeed (for the clone would be convinced that the chair was purple) three times. The girl's inability to get the concept of mind tricks was puzzling to General Kenobi but he kept reassuring himself with the memory of how long it took Anakin to catch on.

From across the room, the hero with out fear nodded at his old master's words. Obi-Wan had taken over instruction and was getting some results, leaving Anakin out of the loop, reduced to interjecting his own opinions, encouragements and tricks. "He's right, Snips." Anakin added in, using the same interjection for the umpteenth time since his old master had taken over. "An empty mind is the best defense against Anzati."

"What's the use of reading a mind that's contemplating nothing?" Rex interjected with a slight smile, catching on to what the General was getting at.

Ahsoka pursed her lips in thought, noting that the points her Master and the Rexter made were interesting. She opened her mouth to make a smart comment about how in this mission it paid to be a bit air headed. But the two Jedi knights, having spent quite a bit of time with the padawan, knew what was going to escape the Togruta's lips.

"Not even a squeak from the peanut galley." Anakin warned his padawan with a flat, un-amused tone. He shifted his weight against the wall and although Ahsoka's back was to her master, she felt his hard, chiding gaze.

"Thinking up retorts is not clearing one's mind, is it?" Obi-Wan added sternly in his constantly bemused tone. The instruction that she try it again hung in the air, not needing to be said.

Once again Ahsoka closed her eyes and in the background, her master's comlink went off. Not wanting to disturb the lesson that was decidedly more work than it was worth, Anakin stepped out of the room before answering. "This is Skywalker," He greeted and was answered with the voice of the Admiral Yularen.

"You should come to the bridge, Sir." The mustached admiral said with a tone that hinted that the suggestion was more of an urgency. Before Anakin had a chance to question what the problem was, Yularen elaborated. "We're picking up traces of a Seperatist cruiser just entering the system."

"Most likely wanting to stop the treaty." Skywalker summed up, knowing the intentions of the cruiser. He was, however, oblivious to how the lesson had halted completely and all three were listening intently to the verbal exchange. "Put up the shields and prep the guns."

Yularen hesitated at the order, making it obvious that there was more to the situation than he had said. "That's the rub, General."

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan inquired, noting the 'this is not good' look on his old padawan's face. Despite the fact that the man Kenobi had known for over ten years vehemently protested that such a look ever existed.

"The Anzat Lord has contacted us and demands not only to speak with you but if we even attempt to fire upon the Seps, the treaty is void before it is drawn." Yularen finished. "He wishes to speak with you, Sir."

"I'm on my way."

Obi-Wan fell into step with his former padawan as Ahsoka obediently followed. No sooner as they stepped out of the room, Anakin whirled to face his apprentice. "Stay here with Rex, Snips."

"But Master!" Ahsoka protested, irked that she was being left behind during early negotiations. As if not being informed about the entirety of the mission wasn't enough… "I can help!"

It was a common plea and one that she hoped was getting stronger as she continued to prove herself. But Anakin's hard glance made her stop in her tracks, her mouth hanging open. Obi-Wan stepped forward and put a hand on the Togruta's shoulder.

"Dealing with Anzati is a delicate task, Ahsoka, and one that I'm sure will take every skill Anakin and I have to strike the deal." Although the Jedi knight's words were kind, she knew that was Master Kenobi's way of saying 'No.'

"But aren't all three of us here for the safety in numbers advantage while dealing with the Anzat?" Her head bent as she queried, Ahsoka's markings arched as she cast a quick glance to gage the two Jedi Knights' reaction.

Anakin's tone told her that he was trying not to laugh as he replied, "When we're not negotiating in person? No." At that Skywalker and his former master turned and hastily made their way to the bridge.

Ahsoka bowed her head wondering why she was even brought on the mission if she was to stay on the ship the entire time. She sighed in frustration and resisted the urge to pound the wall in frustration. Behind her Rex moved about the room and the scraping of metal on the floor made her turn to see what he was doing.

The clone flopped into the chair in question, sitting on it backwards. He flopped his arms over the back of the chair and with a slightly amused lopsided grin announced, "This chair is red."

* * *

"I greet you, Generals Skywalker and Kenobi." The hologram began, inclining his head in greeting.

Anakin did not return the gesture and his words caught his old master off guard, mid bow. "What exactly are you playing at, Anzat?"

Dirian gave a crooked smile. Anzati could live for eons and the older they got the crazier (and more dangerous) they became. Unfortunately, it was damn near impossible to discern Anzati from humans. The lord of the moon Xenphos was no exception. His long salt and pepper hair was tied back at the nape of his neck but it was held so loosely, it seemed that the tie could scarcely hold it back. His clothes, although head to toe brown, bespoke of Dirian's high position. The only tip off that the man on the hologram was Anzati was his large and bulbous nose. His features otherwise were strong and comely. The look in the Anzat's eyes disturbed the two Jedi. It was almost as if Dirian was playing some sort of large scale game with them. When he spoke his tone was lush and thick and alluded to his great age. "I assume you mean the Separatist ship, Master Jedi."

Obi-Wan spoke hastily to recover for Anakin's bluntness. "It is most disturbing to find the Separatists here. The Republic was under the impressions that you were neutral."

"I am." Came the simple reply. "They have the same instructions to not fire lest _their _potential treaty is null." The Anzat laughed at the cocked eyebrow of Kenobi and Skywalker's visible and failing attempt to hold his tongue. "What do you take me for, Master Jedi? I am old and find no joy nor entertainment in my life save for the squabbles of you lesser species. My moon is prime territory, since the planet and other moons surrounding Xenphos can not sustain any form of life. Why listen to your squabble with the Seperatists when I may enjoy seeing it personally?"

Dirian did not give the two a chance to respond. "Because my moon is vital for both sides to control, Generals Kenobi and Skywalker, I have decided to hear both sides. You will come to me and we will discuss this treaty and then I will hear the Seperatists' demands. As soon as I make an alliance, the condition of not firing will be void."

"If I may, Dirian," Obi-Wan began, "If you find our terms more agreeable, after hearing both our and Dooku's, then we will hold the advantage in this impending attack on the cruiser that just entered space here?"

The hologram nodded as Anakin's mouth formed a line. "And vice versa." Dirian finished with a knowing smile. "Makes things rather interesting, does it not, Master Skywalker?"

"When do you wish to open negotiations?" Obi-Wan asked, once again speaking before his old padawan could interject.

"I expect you three to enter my atmosphere as soon as you are able to prepare transport."

"There is a misunderstanding." Anakin spoke up finally, not liking all of the stipulations this Anzat had named. "Master Obi-Wan and I are the only Jedi Knights on the mission."

"And the padawan." Dirian finished, his tone hinting at his borebom of the situation already. A look of satisfaction glinted across his face at the not subtle enough glances the generals exchanged. Anzati were known for the powers of their minds but it seemed unusual for Dirian to have read their minds to know about Ahsoka from a simple communication feed. "In early contact, Master Windu mentioned he would send Kenobi, Skywalker and his padawan."

Anakin shifted his weight before he spoke. Despite the fact that Master Windu told the Anzati there would be three sent; the timing of Dirian's response felt more than just the flow of the conversation. Add in the fact that he was insisting that Ahsoka-who had yet to master any form of the mind trick-come and Anakin smelled a trap that they could not squirm their way out of with out loosing quite a bit.

"Unfortunately, my padawan will be attending to duties on the ship as most disobedient padawans would." Skywalker spoke, making sure that his speech did not speed up and indicate that he was pulling an excuse out of a black hole. He had to admit that it wasn't an outright lie despite the fact that Snips' willfulness was not the reason she was staying behind. "Young ones demand discipline and order, I'm sure you'd agree." Anakin added the last part hurriedly to add effect.

Dirian's eyebrow rose and his velvet voice held doubt as he offered the neutral response, "Indeed."

Obi-Wan cast Anakin a look that implied that his former padawan had opened his mouth and effectively inserted his foot. And once again it was up to the older Jedi to remove the foot. "I'm afraid General Skywalker is quite the theorist when it comes to-"

"I'm not interested in Jedi pedagogy, Generals. It was promised that there would be three from your order come for negotiations and if you want this moon to stay out of Seperatist's hands, then there better be three from the Jedi order at my door. How else am I to know if there is somebody waiting in the wings to attack." He paused, smiling a cordial smile. "I hope you understand."

Anakin was having a difficult time hiding his scowl and opened his mouth to reply but his old master cut in. "Completely, Lord Dirian."

"I will meet with you two and the padawan first and then with the Seperatist representatives." Dirian explained with a decisive nod, "Your transport will remain at a foreclosed altitude with all contact to your cruiser cut. The Seperatist transport will follow suit. I will speak to each in turn, and then when a decision is made you will receive word. Then you will be free to do what is necessary. If any of my terms are breeched, consider the treaty null and void. I am sending the altitude shortly. Be there-all three of you and none over-as soon as you can upon receiving my message."

With out any fanfare, the Anzat took his leave as the transmissions for the rendezvous point began to stream in. At last, having the leisure to speak his mind, Anakin gave his old master a flat look. "It's a trap."

"Hmm." Obi-Wan replied off handedly, his hand stroking his beard in thought. At length he admitted evenly, "A potential trap for both sides. It could very well be that he will not cooperate with anyone if it means he could entertain himself by way of a massive battle. There's a very good chance Dirian is playing us all in order to watch the carnage."

"I don't know, Master. It seems fishy that he would insist the future of the treaty would rest on whether or not my padawan was present for negotiations. There's a strong chance that he's counting on having someone who's easier to manipulate present."

"You did make it obvious that you disapproved of Ahsoka being present at negotiations." Obi Wan pointed out and suggested to the admiral that they should keep the shields up and be poised for battle just in case. The two began to walk back to where they had left Ahsoka and Rex.

"She's a liability in this mission." Skywalker admitted, raising his hands to emphasize his point. "Snips is good to have around in many situations but you saw how much difficulty the mind trick is giving her and if you ask me, the odds are stacked far too against us for the trap to be sprung on both sides."

"Aren't the odds always stacked more against us?" Kenobi remarked with a slight chuckle. "And perhaps you should have started the mind trick training earlier."

* * *

Ahsoka looked at Rex from her perch on the couch. The clone appeared to be upside down from her vantage point, her head flopped over the side of the couch and her montrals touching the floor. "Does that make sense?" She wondered to him.

The clone looked thoughtful for a moment from his perch on _the_ chair. At length he shrugged at the Togruta. In all reality, they should have continued the teenager's mind trick exercise but after several hours of non-stop 'this chair is blue', the break away from her master's driving eyes was welcome. The clone simply sat where he was, thinking that sooner or later his silence would bring her back on track.

"I mean, if the theory is right and things like the name of a color are learned then that means if I took a bunch of younglings, separated them from all out side contact and told them that the chair was blue, then they would believe it even though they see the same color we are seeing." Ahsoka paused. She was rambling and stalling and they both knew it.

"I would say learning the mind trick would be far easier than that." Rex spoke up, not lifting his chin from its perch as a sigh escaped his comrade. The two fell into another contemplative silence for a few minutes until the padawan spoke up.

"Rexter?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"That chair is still red, isn't it?" She looked over at him as she shifted her position on the couch.

A slight grin spread on the clone's face at her tone. "Yeah."

Anakin's voice from the doorway broke the current wave of silence, startling the young Togruta and causing her to tumble out of her position in a jumble of limbs and montrals. The hero with out fear stuck his head into the room and called, "Quit playing around, Snips, and get ready. We leave for the surface as soon as we get on the hanger deck."

Ahsoka propped herself on her elbows and gave her master a quizzical look. "What happened to me being a liability if I don't ace this mind trick lesson?"

Anakin closed his eyes and took in a breath. "Things change, Snips. As much as we would like a mission to be exactly what we were briefed on, we don't have that luxury this time." His voice had a grave tone to it and the apprentice knew by the tone that her master was concerned about the mission's chances of success.

"But," Obi-Wan interjected calmly and in a slightly cheerful tone from outside the doorway, "If you had time to discuss philosophy with the captain, then you must have improved." He left it at that and leaving his statement to sink in, Obi-Wan continued down the hall.

Ahsoka joined her master at the doorway and looked down the path the older Jedi walked while biting her lip. She was always amazed at how Obi-Wan could chastise while sounding so casual. Did he ever yell while scolding? She shook her head, deciding that the casual chastising was still far worse than any bellowing.

She swallowed hard and followed her master down the corridor to prepare for the mission as Anakin filled her in on the developments. She had never really been one to be nervous before missions but this one had her stomach churning at the thought of it.

"You'll be fine Ahsoka." Anakin reassured her with a lopsided grin, "Just keep a clear head and let us do the talking and it'll be fine. Like Rex said, 'What's the use of reading a mind that's contemplating nothing?' You should be very good at that by now."

**A/n: It LIVES!! Sorry it took so long to get out but there was a major writer's block concerning how to get Ahsoka along. But I like this solution and love some of the banter between everybody. Thanks to all of my reviewers, hitters and alerters. Now let's hope chap 3 doesn't take months! **


	3. Chapter 3

"Keep a clear head, Anakin, and let me do the talking and things will go fine." Obi-Wan told his old apprentice as the three boarded the Twilight.

Ahsoka hid a small laugh and the urge to quote her master. They had the coordinates sent to them shortly after Anakin and Obi-Wan closed contact with Dirian and with the orders to stay on the defensive, the three began to make way to the designated point in the atmosphere of Xenphos.

"It would do you well not to look so smug, Snips." Anakin chided with a slight frown as he sat down and began to prepare for take off.

Silence fell between the three and it wasn't until they entered Xenphos' atmosphere that they spoke. The small moon was able to support typical vegetation and the climate was said to have been temperate.

It was Obi-Wan who spoke first in his usual tone, "These are the coordinates, I don't see any Separatist vessel however."

"Lucky us." Ahsoka mumbled looking out to see the surface of the little moon. White stone walls, large enough to see from their altitude snaked across the landscape with flecks of green from the climbing vegetation. The walls covered the landscape for as far as the Jedi could see, making the surface look like some sort of puzzle or maze. A mass of white and black sat near the pole as if it lorded over the rest of the moon. She could only assume that was where they would head once this Dirian obliged them to. The lack of the Separatist vessel unnerved the padawan and she inwardly laughed at the irony.

"They could have been given different coordinates." Ahsoka offered, trying to quell the uneasy feeling that was permeating all three of them.

"Or they could be hanging the terms and just attacking the _Resolute_ as we speak." Skywalker interjected, his patience growing thin. "Why are we even humoring this Anzat!?"

Obi-Wan looked his former apprentice in the eyes and said calmly on a sigh, "Because the Council would very much prefer that we gain access to Xenphos with out bloodshed. I know waiting is not your favorite past time, Anakin, but humor _me_." The Jedi Master shifted in his seat, silently hoping to get his feet on the ground as soon as he possible and almost instantaneously, a transmission came through.

Dirian's image dipped his head in greeting to the three and before he could verbally greet them Anakin opened his mouth, much to the chagrin of his former master and current apprentice.

"I don't suppose we are early." Obi-Wan rushed in to speak before his former padawan could insert his foot into his mouth again. "The absence of the Separatist envoys is rather unnerving as you implied that you would conduct this negotiation on even ground…so to speak."

"Your lack of faith harms my heart, Negotiator." Dirian replied with a slight grin spreading upon his features. "Your enemy is stationed on the other side of the moon at the same altitude." Dirian brought up a mapped image of the moon where, sure enough, there sat four vessels around the moon; two of the vessels being theirs and the other two belonging to the Seperatists. "I will speak with you now. You can land your vessel at my palace at these foreclosed coordinates."

Ahsoka made a face that cocked her white brow markings. She had no doubt that the large mass of black and white stone in the distance was the castle and did not see the point in sending coordinates to go to a place that sat literally in front of them. "Isn't that a little unnecessary?" She questioned, immediately feeling the hard gaze of her master on her like a balm. "I mean, we can see your palace clearly from…" the teenage Togruta trailed off, withering under her master's gaze. Obi-Wan took a secret pride that Anakin had learned that withering glance from receiving it uncountable times from him.

Dirian gave a smile that did not bode well with Skywalker. Perhaps it was because Dirian had been grating at him or the fact that a laugh escaped Dirian's lips. Either way, Anakin was inclined to disagree with the Council's plan of a nonviolent occupation of Xenphos if it meant he could get that predator look off of Dirian's face and ensure that the mission was a success.

"Things are not always what they appear, little one, sight is the most unreliable of the senses." Dirian responded with his unsettling smirk on his face. "Now, Negotiator, I expect to see all three of you at my landing bay in several minutes."

* * *

The _Twilight_ landed a short while later on a landing strip nestled amongst the tall white walls and creeping vines. Ahsoka, reprimanded by her outburst, was surprised that the large white structure they had spotted in the air was by passed on their way to the coordinates. Dirian's abode was more lateral than tall but was built in the same white and black stone that covered the moon.

"Keep your mind clear and quiet at all times, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan instructed as the three descended the gangplank. "Remember that you aren't versed in the mind trick and Dirian could very easily take advantage of that. And," The Negotiator added looking over the Torguta's head to look at Anakin, "Let me do the talking."

"Of course, I'm only here to get you out of trouble." Anakin responded jokingly with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He kept his blue eyes ahead as he spoke and Ahsoka regarded her master with a wry grin of her own.

"Seriously, Dririan's been getting under your skin since he first got in contact with us."

"Maybe if he would wipe that 'it's a trap' look off of his face…" Anakin trailed as Dirian appeared from the entrance with a droid at his side. As the Anzat walked toward the Jedi, something occurred to Ahsoka.

"Master," She began in a whisper so that only Anakin and Obi-Wan could hear, "we're the only ones on the landing platform. Don't you think that Dirian should have more than just a droid for an escort? And look, there aren't any other ships or anything on this platform!"

Her master's response was given in a low, even tone. It reminded Ahsoka of the tone of voice Anakin used when he meditated. "I know, Snips." His eyes never left the horizon, where Dirian was walking.

"And this isn't concerning you in the least bit?!" Ahsoka hissed urgently until Obi-Wan placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Settle your mind, Ahsoka." He told her quietly, his voice and face a perfect mask. "We know this is fishy, but you must clear your mind. If you are having trouble, focus your mind on a single trivial thing."

From several feet away Dirian spread his arms open in greeting and called, "Generals, and padawan…I welcome you to Xenphos." He shortened the distance between himself and the three swiftly. Ahsoka tried to not marvel at the Anzat's speed for she swore he was farther away than what he seemed to be. "General Kenobi, a pleasure to meet the Great Neogtiator. General Skywalker…you are not as robust as they make you out to be."

Obi-Wan interjected quickly to keep Anakin from speaking up, "I see no reason to delay our little visit here."

"Indeed, shall we Generals and padawan?" Dirian gracefully gestured to the entrance he had just exited from.

The door that led to the inside of Dirian's palace was small and it looked like Ahsoka wouldn't be able to get through it with out stooping. The droid opened the door for his master and Dirian walked though it with out stooping or hitting his head. It didn't look like a hologram and Ahsoka tried to resist the urge to cock her eyebrow at the thought.

"As I said before, little one," Dirian stated quietly with a smile, "The eyes that give sight are the least reliable of our senses. They will deceive you at every turn." He gestured to his eyes for added effect then said briskly to the two Jedi Knights, "Come."

The door slid shut behind them and as Dirian led them down a hallway of pure white stone, Ahsoka could feel her master willing her as urgently as he could to empty her mind. But the fact that the hallway was void of any life or decoration kept her mind running back to that when she tired. She tried to quell a shiver when the thought occurred to her that the palace was more like a tomb than anything else.

**A/n: Thanks to all my reviewers and readers! You guys are awesomely patient. I am currently in college and in a sort of pre-student teaching program. So updates might be a little far and few between, but if you alert this story, it should help. Thanks and I hope you liked chap 3. **


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